A quarter of drivers say they will hold off going electric for as long as possible.

According to the results of a new survey by Fleet Evolution, 26.7% of drivers will avoid buying an EV for as long as possible. The study was carried out by Aston University for the EV salary sacrifice and fleet management firm. It reveals a lack of knowledge and entrenched attitudes that still exist towards electric vehicles (EV)

Grubby truth

The attitude survey, which went out to around 10,000 drivers, fleet and HR managers, small businesses and private motorists. Its idea was to gauge views on electric cars and charging infrastructure, operating costs and the desire to switch to EVs.

The majority of respondents (40%) said the next car they buy would be a diesel, followed by 30% who said electric.

Fleet Evolution founder and managing director, Andrew Leech, says there are still “a number of misconceptions around EVs”. These focus mainly on the costs involved. “We found it quite staggering that over a quarter of people surveyed said they would never switch to an EV come what may”.

Unpersuaded

When asked what impact the introduction of a local Clean Air Zone would have, 32% said it would not have any. Instead they would choose to pay the charge on their existing vehicle. A further 21% said they would switch to public transport rather than an EV.

Negative attitudes toward EV owning focused on cost (36%) , range anxiety (28%) and lack of public charging (25%).

Charging infrastructure was an area where lack of detailed knowledge was clearly apparent. Two thirds (67%) of those surveyed said they did not live within five minutes of a public charge point. However, postcode checks reveal that 40% of those actually had one or more within a five-minute walk of their home.

Disappointing minority

Leech admitted that the survey results were disappointing. While headline purchase costs may seem high, the saving on tax and running costs can make a real difference to ongoing ownership costs. And when it comes to charging, the infrastructure is growing rapidly along with home and workplace charging options.